John,

Congressional Republicans are looking for a way to dramatically cut vital assistance in order to fund the extension of the 2017 Trump tax scam that disproportionately benefits the wealthy at the expense of lower-income and middle class people―with a goal of announcing a framework later today.¹ This means cuts to every human needs program: from housing to nutrition and beyond―but especially Medicaid.²

As of October 2024, 72,058,701 people in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. were enrolled in Medicaid.³ If Donald Trump and right-wing members of Congress have it their way, millions of those people would be kicked out of the Medicaid program.

To deny people access to essential health care while extending or expanding tax cuts for the wealthy and major corporations is immoral and dangerous. Extending the 2017 Trump tax scam would add more than $5 trillion to the deficit over 10 years,⁴ while severely cutting Medicaid funding would deny people access to live-saving medications, treatment for chronic health conditions, and increase medical debt among millions of people who are already struggling under high inflation costs.

Eight in ten Americans view Medicaid favorably―including 63% of Republicans―and 46% of Americans say the government doesn’t spend enough on Medicaid.⁵ Cutting funding to a popular and critically necessary program is foolish and cruel.

Send a direct message to Congress urging them to defend Medicaid against these cruel cuts.

Medicaid is currently funded through federal and state dollars. The federal government pays a very big share of states’ Medicaid costs, ranging from 50% to nearly 80%, with states with more low-income people getting the higher share.⁶ Medicaid spending rises when more people qualify and when health care costs rise, which means the federal contribution increases as need increases. Unfortunately, policymakers are considering proposals that dramatically shift costs to the states.

In addition, policymakers are negotiating over a per capita cap. In this scenario, the federal government will pay no more than a maximum amount per Medicaid enrollee, no matter how much medical costs rise, resulting in cuts ranging from $588 billion to $893 billion, according to CBO.⁷

No matter how you slice it, people will lose health care and states will either have to pay more to cover the costs, cut Medicaid services, or terminate people from Medicaid coverage altogether. How would they cut? It’s likely states would either restrict their eligibility rules or drop or reduce certain benefits, such as dental care or home care. Millions of very low-income people would lose care, with little chance of getting coverage from any other source.

Join us in calling on Congress to do everything in its power to defend Medicaid against right-wing cuts.

Thank you for all you do,

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, CHN Action

¹ House GOP struggles with reconciliation talks at retreat
²House G.O.P. Floats Medicaid Cuts and More to Finance Trump’s Huge Agenda
³ October 2024 Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment Data Highlights
⁴ The Cost and Distribution of Extending Expiring Provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
⁵ As Congress Looks to Reduce Federal Spending, Medicare and Medicaid Remain Broadly Popular, and At Least Twice as Many People Want to Increase Spending Rather Than Cut It
⁶ Medicaid Financing: The Basics
⁷ Medicaid Per Capita Cap Would Harm Millions of People by Forcing Deep Cuts and Shifting Costs to States